This week on Twitter, @tinchobynature asked me how I’m feeling about the Royal Rumble being less than two weeks away and if I plan on winning the Royal Rumble match. One thing I’ve learned from years of working in WWE is that the road to WrestleMania always starts at the Royal Rumble. That’s why it’s so important to win the Rumble because it’s your chance to secure a championship match at WWE’s biggest event of the year: WrestleMania.

This will be the second Royal Rumble to feature an all-female match with 30 women competing to toss each other out over the top rope and onto the floor. The woman who is the last standing in the ring wins and automatically gets a championship match of her choice at WrestleMania. I am one of many women who has already entered herself into this year’s Rumble match.

Natalya with then NXT Women’s Champion Ember Moon, who was a surprise entrant in last years women’s Royal Rumble. (Supplied Photo)

I think back to last year to the first all-women’s Rumble match and remember it being such a cool experience to be a part of. We saw women from the past, including WWE Hall of Famers, plus women from Raw, SmackDown Live and NXT compete to win. I never thought I’d look across the ring and see Sasha Banks facing off against Jacqueline. It was pretty cool to witness!

Not only did the women of WWE make history, but I got to share a ring with iconic women from the past whom I never thought I’d get to compete against — women like Trish Stratus, Torrie Wilson, Vickie Guerrero and Molly Holly. I remember thinking it was the coolest thing in the world to put Trish Stratus in the Sharpshooter in front of a sold-out crowd, as I figured I’d break her down a bit before tossing her over the top rope. But as destiny would have it, it was only fitting that if the Queen of Harts was to be eliminated, it would be from a “Stratusfying” Chick Kick delivered to me by Trish herself! The fangirl inside of me was willing to accept that, as I fell off the apron and onto the floor in defeat. But in the words of Legion of Doom: “What a rush!”

Natalya locks Trish Stratus in the Sharpshooter during last years women’s Royal Rumble match. (WWE Photo)

My favourite moment of last year’s match came when my best friend Beth Phoenix entered the Rumble and we took on the unstoppable force, Nia Jax. After tackling Nia through the ropes, Beth and I had a moment that had the entire arena standing still, wondering what was going to happen next. We were alone in the ring for the first time since she retired and we gave each other the biggest hug. Then I did the unexpected: I attacked Beth and tossed the Glamazon out over the top rope! I eliminated one of the greatest female WWE Superstars of my generation. In so many ways that moment felt like Beth Phoenix was passing on a torch that she was wanting me to have since she retired in 2012. I smile every time I think about the Rumble moment we had together and will always be grateful for what she gave to me. I hope I can one day do the same for other women in WWE.

I’m counting on myself to win this year’s women’s Royal Rumble match because I want to face Ronda Rousey in the main event of WrestleMania and win the Raw Women’s Championship. It’s a moment I’ve been working toward my entire career. I’ve been lucky enough to make history in WWE in many different ways, and I’m never going to stop dreaming big because that’s what makes life fun!

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